Correction: NYT “Acknowledges That No Nudge Was Visible On The Broadcast”

The New York Times has issued a “correction,” albeit late and begrudgingly, to Alessandra Stanley‘s “nudge” story on September 5:

“The editors understood the ‘nudge’ comment as the television critic’s figurative reference to Mr. Rivera’s flamboyant intervention. Mr. Rivera complained, but after reviewing a tape of his broadcast, The Times declined to publish a correction.

Numerous readers, however — now including Byron Calame, the newspaper’s public editor, who also scrutinized the tape — read the comment as a factual assertion. The Times acknowledges that no nudge was visible on the broadcast.”

> Why couldn’t the Times acknowledge that on September 6? (Or, even better, on September 4, before the story was printed?)

> On last night’s Factor, Geraldo said: “The fact of the matter is, here you have the editor of the newspaper of record, probably the most important newspaper in the country, who refuses a factual error because he doesn’t like the person against whom the error was made. It’s journalism 101. It’s terrible, it’s unacceptable.”